Canister for deposition apparatus and deposition apparatus using same

ABSTRACT

A canister for a deposition apparatus and a deposition apparatus using the same, and more particularly, a canister for a deposition apparatus that can provide a uniform amount of source material contained in a reaction gas supplied into a deposition chamber and improve safety in the supply of the source material, and a deposition apparatus using the canister. The deposition apparatus includes a deposition chamber; a canister supplying a reaction gas into the deposition chamber; and a carrier gas supplier for supplying a carrier gas into the canister, in which the canister includes a main body, a heating unit heating the main body and a temperature measuring unit disposed under the main body.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2010-0062877 filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Jun. 30, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The described technology relates generally to a canister for a deposition apparatus and a deposition apparatus using the same. More particularly, an aspect of the present invention relates to a canister for a deposition apparatus that can provide a uniform amount of source material contained in a reaction gas supplied into a deposition chamber and improve safety in the supply of the source material, and a deposition apparatus using the canister.

2. Description of the Related Art

Flat panel displays have replaced cathode ray tube displays, due to their characteristics, such as light weight and small size. Typical examples of flat panel displays include liquid crystal displays (LCD) and organic light emitting diode (OLED) displays. Of these displays, the organic light emitting diode displays have excellent luminescence characteristics and viewing angle characteristics, as compared with the liquid crystal displays (LCD) and furthermore do not need a backlight, such that they can be implemented in very small sizes.

The organic light emitting diode display is classified into a passive matrix type and an active matrix type in accordance with the operation method, in which the active matrix type includes a circuit using a thin film transistor (TFT).

The thin film transistor usually includes a semiconductor layer including a source region, a drain region, and a channel region, a gate electrode, a source electrode and a drain electrode. The semiconductor layer may be polysilicion (polycrystalline silicon (poly-si)) or amorphous silicon (a-si), but the electronmobility of the polysilicon is higher than that of the amorphous silicon, such that the polysilicon is commonly used now.

One method of crystallizing the amorphous silicon is a crystallization method using metal. The crystallization method using metal, deposits a metal catalyst on a substrate, by using a sputtering process that applies and deposits plasma on a metal target or by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) process that forms an atomic layer of a metal catalyst on a substrate. Thereafter a reaction gas including the metal catalyst is used, and the amorphous silicon with the metal catalyst is crystallized, as a seed, thereby performing crystallization in short time under relatively low temperature.

The crystallization method using the metal catalyst is required to supply a reaction gas containing a same amount of metal catalyst into a deposition chamber for each deposition in order to achieve uniform crystals.

Therefore, common deposition apparatuses include a canister supplying a reaction gas into a deposition chamber to provide a uniform amount of source material to be vaporized in each deposition. This is achieved by measuring the internal temperature of a main body for evaporating the source material, such as a metal catalyst, with a temperature measuring unit such that the source material can vaporize under the same pressure and temperature.

However, the canister for a deposition apparatus cannot accurately measure the internal temperature of the main body, because the vaporizing source material condenses in the temperature measuring unit. Therefore, the amount of source material contained in the reaction gas supplied to the deposition chamber is not uniform, such that the amount of metal catalyst deposited on the substrate in each deposition process is not uniform. Therefore, it is difficult to stably supply the source material into the chamber, and the amount of metal catalyst contained in the film formed on the substrate in each deposition process is not uniform.

The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the described technology and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

SUMMARY

An aspect of the present invention provides a canister for a deposition apparatus and a deposition apparatus using the canister, which can accurately measure the internal temperature of the main body where a source material vaporizes by changing the internal structure of the canister such that the vaporizing source material does not condensate in the temperature measuring unit.

An exemplary embodiment provides a canister for a deposition apparatus including: a main body where a source material vaporizes; a heating unit heating the main body; and a temperature measuring unit disposed under the main body.

Another exemplary embodiment provides a deposition apparatus including: a deposition chamber; a canister supplying a reaction gas into the deposition chamber; and a carrier gas storage to supply a carrier gas into the canister, in which the canister includes a main body, a heating unit heating the main body and a temperature measuring unit disposed under the main body.

According to the exemplary embodiments, the canister for a deposition apparatus and the deposition apparatus using the canister can provide a uniform amount of a metal catalyst in a film formed on a substrate in each deposition process by improving supply stability of a source material, by disposing the temperature measuring unit, which measures the internal temperature of the main body of the canister, under the main body in order to prevent the vaporizing source material from condensing in the temperature measuring unit.

Additional aspects and/or advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a canister for a deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a deposition apparatus using the canister for a deposition apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Details of the objects, technical configuration, and effects of the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. The like reference numerals indicate the like configuration throughout the specification, and in the drawings, the length and thickness of layers and regions may be exaggerated for clarity.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a canister for a deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a deposition apparatus using the canister for a deposition apparatus shown in FIG. 1.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment includes a deposition chamber 210 performing a deposition process on a substrate S, a canister 100 supplying a source material into the deposition chamber 210, and a carrier gas supplier 300 supplying a carrier gas into the canister 100.

The canister 100 vaporizes the source material in each deposition process and supplies a reaction gas produced by mixing the vaporized source material with a carrier gas supplied from the carrier gas supplier 300 into the deposition chamber 210. The canister 100 includes a main body 110 where the source material vaporizes, a heating unit 120 heating the main body 110, and a temperature measuring unit 130 measuring the internal temperature of the main body 110. In this configuration, the source material may be metal powder or a liquid-state organic material, which are used in an atomic deposition process.

The heating unit 120 vaporizes the source material supplied in the main body 110 by heating the main body 110 and may be disposed outside the main body 110. For example, the heating unit 120 may be disposed in the exterior wall of the main body 110.

The temperature measuring unit 130 measures the internal temperature of the main body 110 to maintain the internal temperature of the main body 110 at a predetermined level while the source material vaporizes. The temperature measuring unit 130 may be a temperature sensor for easily monitoring the internal temperature of the main body 110, such as a thermo-couple. In this configuration, the canister 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may further include a temperature controller 135 that controls the heating unit 120 in accordance with the temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit 130.

The canister 100 can vaporize some of the source material in each deposition process, after storing the source material in the main body 110 without using an independent source storage 140 However, FIG. 2, illustrates an independent source storage 140 that stores the source material, and which further includes a first supply control unit 410 that controls the amount of source material supplied into the main body 210 from the source storage 140.

The first supply control unit 410 includes a first valve V1 disposed in a first pipe P1 connecting the main body 110 with the source storage 140 and a first controller C1 that controls the first valve V1 to open/close. In this configuration, it is preferable, but not necessary, that the first controller C1 controls the first valve V1 to open/close on the basis of the amount of source material supplied into the main body 110 through the first pipe P1, and it is more preferable, but not necessary, that only the amount of source material for one time vaporization in each deposition process is supplied into the main body 110.

The deposition chamber 210 performing a deposition process on the substrate S, using a reaction gas supplied from the canister 100, includes an inlet 220 through which the reaction gas flows into the deposition chamber 210, a shower head 225 uniformly spraying the reaction gas onto the substrate S, a support chuck 240 supporting the substrate S, and an outlet 230 through which the remaining reaction gas is discharged. In this configuration, the deposition chamber 100 may be an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber for an atomic layer deposition process and the support chuck 240 may further include a temperature maintainer (not shown) that maintains the substrate S at a predetermined temperature, for smooth atomic layer deposition process.

A deposition process using a deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, which allows a predetermined amount of source material to be supplied into the main body 110 by opening the first valve V1 in the first pipe P1 positioned between the main body 140 of the canister 100 and the source storage 140.

Thereafter, the first valve V1 is closed to stop the supply of the source material into the main body 110 and the source material is vaporized by the heating unit 120. The internal temperature of the main body 110 is measured and monitored by the temperature measuring unit 130 disposed under the main body 110 and the heating unit 120 is controlled on the basis of the temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit 130.

Although an exemplary embodiment exemplifies when the source material is vaporized after the first valve V1 is closed, the process of vaporizing the source material may be performed simultaneously with the process of supplying the source material into the main body 110.

Next, the carrier gas is supplied into the main body 1110 through a second pipe P2 disposed between the main body 110 and the carrier gas supplier 300, such that a reaction gas mixed with the vaporized source material and the carrier gas is produced. In this process, it is preferable, but not necessary, to position a second supply control unit 420 to control a supply of the carrier gas in the second pipe P2 in order to prevent the carrier gas from flowing into the main body 110 while the source material is supplied into the main body 110.

Further, it is preferable, but not necessary, to position a third supply control unit 430 in a third pipe P3 connecting the main body 110 with the deposition chamber 210 in order to prevent an unstable reaction gas from being supplied into the deposition chamber 210 while the source material vaporizes and the reaction gas is produced in the main body 110.

The second supply control unit 420 may include a second valve V2 and a second controller C2 that controls the second valve V2 to open/close, and the third supply control unit 430 may include a third valve V3 and a third controller C3 that controls the third valve V3 to open/close.

Further, the third valve V3 is opened such that the reaction gas mixed with the vaporizing source material and the carrier gas is supplied into the deposition chamber 210. The reaction gas supplied in the deposition chamber 210 is uniformly injected onto the substrate S through the inlet 220 of the deposition chamber 210 and a shower head 225, and the reaction gas that is not deposited on the substrate S is discharged outside the deposition chamber 210 through the outlet 230.

Though not shown, in a deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an exhaust pump (not shown) may be disposed at the outlet 230 such that the reaction gas that is not deposited on the substrate S can be discharged with ease.

Further, the deposition apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment may include a fourth pipe P4. The fourth pipe P4 connects the carrier gas supplier 300 with the deposition chamber 210 and is disposed between the second valve V2 of the second supply control unit 420 and the carrier gas supplier 300 and between the deposition chamber 210 and the third valve V3 of the third supply control unit 430. A fourth supply control unit 440 is disposed in the fourth pipe P4, in order to remove the reaction gas remaining in the deposition chamber 210 and in the third pipe P3, after the deposition process is finished in the deposition chamber 210. In this configuration, the fourth supply control unit 440 may include a fourth valve V4 disposed in the fourth pipe P4 and a fourth controller C4 that controls the fourth valve V4 to open/close, similarly to the second supply control unit 420 and the third supply control unit 430.

As a result, according to the canister for a deposition apparatus and the deposition apparatus using the canister according to an exemplary embodiment, it is possible to prevent the source material vaporized by the main body 110 and the reaction gas containing the source material from condensing in the temperature measuring unit, by disposing the temperature measuring unit, measuring the internal temperature of the main body of the canister in which the source material vaporizes, under the main body.

While this disclosure has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be practical exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Although a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it would be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in this embodiment without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents. 

1. A canister for a deposition apparatus, comprising: a main body where a source material vaporizes; a heating unit heating the main body; and a temperature measuring unit disposed under the main body.
 2. The canister for the deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the temperature measuring unit includes a temperature sensor.
 3. The canister for the deposition apparatus of claim 1, wherein: the source material is metal powder.
 4. The canister for a deposition apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a source storage to supply the source material into the main body.
 5. The canister for the deposition apparatus of claim 4, further comprising: a first supply control unit that is disposed between the main body and the source storage and controls the source material supplied into the main body.
 6. The canister for the deposition apparatus of claim 5, wherein: the first supply control unit includes a first valve disposed in a first pipe connecting the main body with the source storage and a first control unit controlling the first valve to open/close.
 7. The canister for the deposition apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a temperature controller that controls the heating unit on the basis of temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit.
 8. A deposition apparatus comprising: a deposition chamber; a canister supplying a reaction gas into the deposition chamber; and a carrier gas supplier to supply a carrier gas into the canister, wherein the canister includes a main body, a heating unit heating the main body and a temperature measuring unit disposed under the main body.
 9. The deposition apparatus of claim 8, wherein: the temperature measuring unit includes a temperature sensor.
 10. The deposition apparatus of claim 8, wherein: the canister further includes a source storage for supplying a source material into the main body of the canister.
 11. The deposition apparatus of claim 10, wherein: the source material is metal powder.
 12. The deposition apparatus of claim 10, wherein: the canister further includes a first supply control unit disposed between the main body and the source storage and controlling the source material supplied into the main body.
 13. The deposition apparatus of claim 12, wherein: the first supply control unit includes a first valve disposed in a first pipe connecting the main body of the canister with the source storage and a first controller controlling the first valve to open/close.
 14. The deposition apparatus of claim 8, further comprising: a second supply control unit disposed between the carrier gas supplier and the main body of the canister, and a third supply control unit disposed between the main body of the canister and the deposition chamber.
 15. The deposition apparatus of claim 14, wherein: the second supply control unit includes a second valve disposed in a second pipe connecting the carrier gas supplier with the main body of the canister and a second controller controlling the second valve to open/close, and the third supply control unit includes a third valve disposed in a third pipe connecting the main body of the canister with the deposition chamber and a third controller controlling the third valve to open/close.
 16. The deposition apparatus of claim 14, wherein: the second supply control unit and the third supply control unit are positioned between the top of the main body and the carrier gas supplier or the deposition chamber.
 17. The deposition apparatus of claim 14, further comprising: a fourth pipe connecting the carrier gas supplier with the deposition chamber and disposed between the carrier gas supplier and the second supply control unit and between the deposition chamber and the third supply control unit, and a fourth supply control unit disposed in the fourth pipe.
 18. The deposition apparatus of claim 17, wherein: the fourth supply control unit includes a fourth valve disposed in the fourth pipe and a fourth controller controlling the fourth valve to open/close.
 19. The deposition apparatus of claim 8, wherein: the canister further includes a temperature controller controlling the heating unit on the basis of temperature measured by the temperature measuring unit.
 20. The deposition apparatus of claim 8, wherein: the deposition chamber is an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chamber for an atomic layer deposition process. 